Almost the entire population of Vanuatu, an estimated 251,319 people (80%), are in need of humanitarian assistance following the consecutive impact of Tropical Cyclones (TC) Judy and Kevin. The cyclones have caused widespread and substantial damage across the Vanuatu archipelago with Tafea and Shefa provinces the worst hit. Just under half the population of Vanuatu is female (49.5%); 45% are under 18 years old; 2.5% are aged 70+; and there are 72,970 women of reproductive age (aged 15-49), 24% of the population. An estimated 5% of the population has a disability (likely underreported) with walking and seeing the most common difficulties reported and more women (5.30%) than men (4.66%) and more people in rural areas (5.28%) than in urban areas (3.90%) reporting difficulties. The current estimate (as of 20 March 2023) is 2,284 people still in 52 evacuation centres (577 households). There is widespread damage to houses and other essential infrastructure including churches, health and WASH facilities and schools, as well as damage to roads, food gardens (majority of the Vanuatu population are subsistence farmers) and livestock. There is a need for immediate relief assistance as well as Protection, WASH, Shelter, Food Security and Livelihoods and Health support.
This Gender and Protection analysis provides information to inform humanitarian response and recovery programming for all humanitarian actors (government and non-government). It has the following objectives:
● To analyse and understand the different impacts that Tropical Cyclones Judy and Kevin have had on diverse women, men, girls and boys and other at-risk or marginalised groups in Vanuatu, including people with disabilities.
● To inform humanitarian programming (response and recovery) based on different needs and risks facing diverse women, men, girls and boys, including people with disabilities, with a particular focus on Protection, Shelter, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Food Security and Livelihoods.
The analysis is informed by research undertaken from 4-20 March 2023, through secondary data review and primary data collection in 26 locations in Shefa and Tafea using quantitative and qualitative tools including the Gender and Protection Interagency Rapid Assessment Form, Determining Disability at the Community Level and National Disaster Management Office’s (NDMO) First Community Assessment Form and data from the Vanuatu Society for People with Disability (VSPD) and Community Disability Association member assessments of 404 existing clients in Port Vila and surrounding Area Councils between 13-17 March 2023.
